News: The mandate of the SRSG was extended for another three years by Resolution (A/67/152) of the Third Committee of the UN General Assembly in November 2012.
Role: The 2007 GA resolution on the rights of the child required the Secretary General to appoint a Special Representative on violence against children “at the highest possible level.” You can find the job description in the resolution here:http://www.crin.org/Law/instrument.asp?InstID=1214.
Marta Santos Pais, of Portugal, was appointed by the UN Secretary General on 1 May 2009, but took up her position on September 1st, 2009. Her mandate was for three years, so ended in September 2012 and has been renewed for a further three years. The SRSG reports directly to the UN Secretary General. (more about her role:http://www.crin.org/violence/SRSG/)
Find out more about the campaign to get the post established here:http://www.crin.org/violence/petitions/petition.asp?PetID=1004
How? The resolution does not explain the procedure for such an appointment, nor the necessary criteria.
When: The term of the current Special Representative , Marta Santos Pais, will end in September 2015.
Action: As above, there is an opportunity, for ensuring that the appointment process is transparent, and that the criteria are publicly available and child rights-focused. Further details will be circulated in due course.